In Type-Moon, it all starts with adopting Sakura.

If that were all, Kiritsugu Emiya could still accept it. What's even more outrageous is that this unethical guy didn't even enter the fray himself. Instead, he controlled a puppet to fight him, completely deceiving him and revealing all his trump cards.

When Kenneth relentlessly pursued him until he was cornered, he decided to fight to the death.

He used repeated self-inflicted injuries as bait, eventually luring Kenneth into a pre-arranged trap. Then, he pulled out his poison stinger RPG and, disregarding his own safety, launched a close-range explosion at Kenneth's face, less than a few meters away.

When he saw the horrific explosion blow up the area where Kenneth was, along with the surrounding containers, Kiritsugu Emiya smiled with satisfaction, inwardly roaring with rage.

"The world has changed, adults!!"

Sure enough, all these problems stemmed from insufficient firepower.

Taking a direct hit from a poisonous RPG will severely injure you, no matter how much magical artifact you've prepared. All you need to do next is seize the opportunity to finish the battle with the Origin Bullet.

However, just as Kiritsugu Emiya was preparing to deliver the finishing blow with such wonderful thoughts...

The next moment, something that finally made him lose his composure happened. Before he could even use the Origin Bomb to finish things up, a burst of ear-piercing applause suddenly came from the corner, and then another Kenneth walked out unharmed.

In that brief moment, Kiritsugu Emiya's lips twitched wildly, and he was equally devastated. Even the hand that was gripping the Origin Bullet was trembling violently.

Recalling last night, in order to eliminate this formidable enemy, he did not hesitate to exchange injuries for injuries, using his own body as bait, constantly feigning weakness, launching chaotic attacks and revealing flaws like a caged beast. In addition, his use of modern weapons naturally earned him Kenneth's contempt.

This is exactly what he wanted. Given the vast difference in strength between the two sides, the only way to break the deadlock was to seize a fleeting opening.

Kiritsugu Emiya seized this rare opportunity, luring Kenneth step by step into his trap. He then pulled out a firearm that his assistant had prepared in advance, and despite being injured himself, he slammed an RPG into Kenneth's face.

The plan progressed smoothly and was excellent. In the process, Kiritsugu Emiya also demonstrated his outstanding execution and action, as well as his precious awareness of sacrificing his life.

And so, with the combined advantages, his hard work paid off, and he successfully killed Kenneth's... Stand!

He smiled as he watched Kenneth be engulfed in the explosion, knowing he had dealt with one of his most formidable enemies. Single-handedly killing a Lord of the Clock Tower was an achievement rarely seen even in the entire mystical world. Even in such a sorry state, the loss of a formidable foe made it a very worthwhile trade!

Then Kenneth smiled. Although he had used up the Stand puppet he had recently bought at a high price from that Grand Puppeteer, he had also figured out the magician killer's tricks and trump cards, reducing a huge risk for himself. Although this thing was meant to be used to prepare deceptive moves for his apprentice, eliminating such a despicable opponent was still worthwhile. In any case, he was still well-prepared.

So, while both sides felt they had made a huge profit, Kenneth's side clearly made a slightly larger profit.

After all, he was going to take Kiritsugu Emiya away soon, so what was the point of doing business with a dead man?

However, Kiritsugu Emiya truly lived up to his reputation as a seasoned mage assassin; even in that situation, he didn't give up. Seeing Kenneth reappear, he suppressed his near-collapse and seized the opportunity to launch a counterattack. He even sacrificed his life for this, unleashing five times the speed of his own timeline in a short time, quickly closing the distance, then blasting a flashbang at Kenneth's face, and finally unleashing his secret weapon, the Origin Bullet, in a final showdown.

And the result...

The plan was actually almost successful.

Kenneth was utterly disdainful of the bullets he fired, preparing to use his costume and physical body to block them, and then manipulate the Lunar Essence Fluid to shred them.

This guy was careless; Kenneth clearly didn't know the secret in that bullet.

So he won this final gamble! Next, he will trade a hand or a foot for Kenneth's life.

To Kiritsugu Emiya's surprise, other Masters broke in at this crucial moment.

Before he could even fire his Origin Missile, a completely unfamiliar young man emerged from around the corner of the dock, plunging into his battle with Kenneth. What horrified him even more was that the man clearly knew about the Origin Missile he possessed. Without giving him a chance to fire, a pre-prepared 'expel-you weapon' was aimed at his hand, sending the pistol loaded with the Origin Missile flying, leaving Kiritsugu Emiya utterly dumbfounded.

The other person even called out to Kenneth, "Long time no see, teacher."

After that, the situation completely spiraled out of control.

Fortunately, the lemon-headed guy gave up chasing him and instead targeted the young man who had just appeared, which gave him the chance to slip away in the chaos right under his nose.

Thinking of this, he took a deep drag on his cigarette, and Kiritsugu Emiya felt increasingly melancholy.

He never expected to suffer such a Waterloo on his very first night. The monarch of the Minerals Department had gone mad for some reason, becoming so cautious that he left no way out for anyone.

Moreover, the young man's appearance was clearly timed to be his own, personally helping Kenneth avoid the damage from the Origin Bomb, and that wasn't even the most important thing.

He dropped the pistol loaded with the Origin Bullet last night because he ran too fast. It's probably in their hands now, and if their secret is discovered...

The thought of his Origin Bullet's secret being exposed sent a chill down Kiritsugu Emiya's spine.

That thing is no joke. If the magic world finds out that he actually possesses such a weapon that targets magicians, then he will undoubtedly be attacked by the entire magic world.

After all, no magician would allow such a weapon to exist in the world!

At this moment, Kiritsugu Emiya knew.

If he fails, what awaits him will definitely not be a return to his previous life; the sealing designation of the Forensic Science Department will undoubtedly become his final destination.

This Holy Grail War should be his last chance; he must win, no matter the cost!

……

However, Artoria's situation wasn't much better than his; she had also received a severe beating from society last night.

First, she was tricked by Finn, who led Irisviel into someone else's home turf to fight. As a result, she was almost swallowed up by the endless waves. Then, the Servants who appeared later were all stronger than the last.

Moreover, the last black knight to appear seemed to have gone mad, turning his attention back to her after Archer left. His attacks were as ferocious as a mad dog's, a series of assaults leaving her covered in dust and grime.

Despite being a Berserker, he completely overwhelmed me in martial arts, and there was no chance of defeating him without unleashing his Noble Phantasm.

Fortunately, she had roughly figured out the characteristics of all the Heroic Spirits last night.

First of all, the strongest one present was undoubtedly the golden Archer, after all, the scene of him wielding thousands of Noble Phantasms at the same time was too shocking, and Artoria knew very well that she was no match for him.

Meanwhile, the golden Lancer Finn and the purple Lancer Scáthach also displayed their formidable strength and martial arts skills.

However, due to various reasons, she didn't have time to experience Scáthach's strength, but she did witness Finn's level firsthand. Not only was his martial arts top-notch, but he was also extremely adept at manipulating the power of water, and his endurance and healing abilities were also terrifying.

After fighting for so long, she was covered in dust and grime, but Finn pulled out a water bottle and cast a highly effective healing spell on her palm, instantly restoring all the damage she had suffered over such a long period of time.

This also made Artoria realize just how powerful the other party's functionality was.

She can heal, control water, deal damage, and sustain herself—she's practically a one-dimensional warrior! If she doesn't unleash her Noble Phantasm, she really can't beat Finn.

Iskandar, as a Rider, needs little introduction. Although he hasn't displayed much power, his aura and the magical energy emanating from him clearly indicate that the King of Conquerors is no ordinary opponent. He will undoubtedly be a formidable enemy in this Holy Grail War.

Very good, they are all exceptional Servants. Even the seemingly weakest Black Knight has the strength to suppress her in martial arts, which makes Artoria begin to have doubts...

Am I too weak? Is this really the level of intensity the Holy Grail War should be at?

I always felt that the renowned King Arthur was nothing special in this Holy Grail War...

In addition, the lack of Avalon and some issues with mana supply make it a clearly suppressed player.

If there hadn't been so many people, and if they hadn't been so wary of each other, in a real melee, she wouldn't have been the last heroic spirit to leave the port.

In short, after a night's sleep, Saber and her servant, who already had problems, were completely exhausted, both physically and mentally. However, Kiritsugu Emiya knew very well that he could not rest now.

According to his assistant's report, Assassin did not leave; she had detected his presence using night vision goggles, and he needed to find out why.

Furthermore, according to Saber, he also needs to investigate the existence of two Lancers simultaneously. Was someone summoning them illegally? Who summoned the second Lancer? Was it Caster, who has yet to appear?

He also needed to investigate Kenneth from last night and the young man who knew about his Origin Missile. In short, there was just too much to do, and he simply didn't have time to rest.

This Holy Grail War has far exceeded expectations. Let Saber take Irisviel back to the castle and hold her ground for now. I need to go and devise a new plan.

"Ok?"

Thinking of this, Kiritsugu Emiya suddenly frowned, then his eyes widened, as if he had thought of a very important question.

He quickly spat out the cigarette from his mouth, then looked at Artoria who was still pulling the cart and hurriedly asked, "Saber, where is Irisviel, whom I asked you to protect?!"

Only after sorting through the intelligence and his thoughts, a physically and mentally exhausted Kiritsugu Emiya realized...

It seems my wife is missing!

Artoria's eyes widened in surprise as she turned to look at Kiritsugu Emiya and asked in astonishment.

"Irisviel, hasn't she returned to base yet?!"

"..."

In response, only Kiritsugu Emiya remained silent.

※※※※※※※

……

……

P.S.: I'll finish writing the rest this afternoon and post it tonight.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: What is a Surprise? (5 words)

What is an unexpected gain?

What exactly constitutes a surprise?

—That's what you call a surprise!

……

Looking at the white-haired woman who had been magically fixed to the stone platform by Aozaki Touko, even Luo Wei had to admire Aozaki Touko's decisive move, and inwardly exclaimed.

'Well done!!'

Last night, during the epic battle between Artoria, Finn, Gilgamesh, and many other Servants at the port, Artoria, constantly overwhelmed by her opponents and forced to use her Noble Phantasm to break the deadlock, took it upon herself to send Irisviel, who had little ability to defend herself, away from the battlefield. She was about to engage Finn in a final showdown.

From Artoria's perspective, her decision was actually not problematic.

After all, in this battle, as the strongest fighter, she was completely suppressed by Finn, who was stronger and had the home-field advantage. If she didn't want to be worn down to death by her opponent, her only option was to unleash her Noble Phantasm and fight with all her might.

In the clash of their Noble Phantasms, Artoria had absolute confidence in the holy sword in her hand.

However, as a homunculus, Irisviel's situation would be dire if she were caught in the crossfire of two top-tier Heroic Spirits. Furthermore, Irisviel lacked the power to spare for protection, so letting her leave first was indeed the right thing to do.

Furthermore, Artoria knew that her Master, Kiritsugu Emiya, was likely hiding near the port. Irisviel would inevitably contact him upon returning the way she came, and with Kiritsugu's assistance, she would be able to retreat safely.

What she didn't expect was that in last night's battle, it wasn't just her side that was suppressed; Kiritsugu Emiya's situation was even worse.

Faced with a furious monarch's fierce attack, he not only had to survive but also had to figure out how to fight back. Naturally, he had no energy to support Irisviel or pay attention to the battle situation on Artoria's side.

This led to a very bad situation, which was...

Artoria believed that Kiritsugu Emiya had already met up with Irisviel and taken her to a safe place, while Kiritsugu Emiya thought that Irisviel was still with Artoria, thus creating an information asymmetry. It wasn't until the two reunited that they discovered Irisviel had vanished. And by then, it was clearly too late to search for her.

This situation caused Kiritsugu Emiya, who was lying on the cart, preparing to go back to rest before considering his next move, to suddenly widen his eyes and meet Artoria's equally incredulous gaze.

At this moment, Kiritsugu Emiya, who was already exhausted from various unexpected events, felt as if the sky had fallen.

Not only did they fail to eliminate any of their competitors, but they were also severely crippled, and even the secret of their Origin Bullet was exposed. Now, even Irisviel, the trump card of this Holy Grail War, has disappeared right under their noses.

This undoubtedly made his already restless heart even more agitated. If one had to describe his situation at this moment, an old proverb would be particularly apt—"He lost both his wife and his army."

Moreover, he now has no idea who did it.

At this moment, they could only start running around aimlessly like headless flies.

……